Class of 2025 Admissions DISCUSSION

Not sure of the actual answer, it does seem to me that application who put down no for summer, and would of got summer are automatically put in th 2+2 option

1 Like

No, you just get to have two small classes and meet classmates/make friends (really hard in big classes), go on field trips or ice cream social with your dedicated “pride leader”, and learn what college classes are like in a low key environment; at the end two mandatory classes are out of the way without the lecture hall/weedout of Fall, you’re ahead for everything later on such as registration, you hit the ground running while Fall freshmen are still groping their way around, and bonus, down the line you can take it easy some semesters yet graduate on time.

2 Likes

No, it means you’re considered first for Fall and if they cant offer admission for Fall they look at summer and then branch campus (or directly branch campus if your GPA is below 3.5 or you didnt check summer). So, he’s already been considered for Fall.

His choice is to either start in the Summer as a Smeal pre major, or ask to be reconsidered for DUS and Fall.
(DUS and premajors register for the same classes anyway and you can only apply to Smeal from premajor or DUS. )

1 Like

Just wanted to say that while I know the GPA is important, it wasn’t a deal breaker for my son. He has a 3.3 after a horrible freshman year, but a really good upward grade trajectory and 1340 SAT. His personal statement addressed his growth as a student and what he learned from Freshman year that would help him in college. He got summer entry DUS for University Park and we are thrilled. We knew it was a gamble, but it wasn’t impossible! :slight_smile:

4 Likes

I’ve never heard of any student regretting or not loving summer start. It’s an ideal way to meet so many new people. I’d think after a year of what continues to be a year of minimal in person school for much of America, many students would love the chance to finally move forward on this next chapter and get out of their bedrooms.

Why yes, summer start might not be economically feasible for some or schedule wise be doable, if you can make it work and love PSU, it seems like a win!

6 Likes

Does Penn State send something in the mail after being accepted?

are you in state?

yes you should get a letter in a couple days

Some advice I give every year:

Try to avoid comparing your stats to someone else who got in for fall or got into the major.

A 4.0 at one school is not comparable to a 4.0 at another. For example, the neighboring district to ours has their grading scale as 90, 80, 70, 60, whereas our school district is 95, 85, 75 etc. So a 90 at our school would actually be a B rather than an A at their school. Add weighting at that school and many many students have over a 4.0 - unlike at our school.
Plus, some schools very heavily weight which skews the WGPA. A couple years ago we had one very upset young lady in this group who was denied with a 4.0+. She appealed and lost. Turns out, her school so heavily weighted her GPA that it watered the GPA down and the 4.0 didn’t mean as much.

So someone’s 4.4 may not actually be “more impressive” than someone else’s 4.0.

Point is - we don’t have the full application. One never knows what is in anyone’s file that may put them in the plus or minus column.

If you have questions about your own application - call admissions and ask to talk to an admissions counselor…but try to avoid being too concerned with others scores as we really just don’t know. It’s a good general guide for students and that’s why we all share stats - but take them all with a grain of salt.

5 Likes

Agree completely! It’s expensive so it’s not in the cards for many - but if one can swing it - it’s a great experience for many! Lots of kids get upset at losing their summer - but they don’t really. Summer in State College is a ton of fun!

3 Likes

So if my dd applied liberal arts and has well above a 3.5 but didn’t check summer, does she have a shot? OOS, still haven’t heard.

It’s impossible to tell on this board. :slight_smile: We can tell you if she stands a chance or not, at best.

Other factors:
What rank in class?
Is PSU a “usual” university students from her HS apply to?
What major in CLA?
(Because Anthropological sciences/Biological wouldn’t expect the same profile as Social Data Analytics, Labor Relations, or Francophone Studies)
How many honors classes? AP’s/IB/Dual Enrollment?
Does she have 4+ units in History/Social science and English? Foreign language through level 3 or 4 (or AP)?

that sounds fun! thank you!!!

Thank you for the feedback.
3.7 UW, 4.0 W. Test optional
CLA criminology
One AP, majority of the rest honors/accelerated
Yes 4+ units
Foreign language through level 5, honors
Tons of EC
Some “demonstrated interest” communication with admissions.

The big downside is cost. It’s very expensive and Penn State is expensive to start with. :frowning:
In terms of tuition, it’s a wash (the 6 credits are mandatory so you just take 13 credits over 2 semesters later on and are even money-wise- in college all your classes are hard so balancing your schedule is an important skill to acquire; having a “lighter” semester, usually when you’re taking the really hard, weedout 2nd year courses, relaly helps; you still graduate on time) but you have to pay extra for Room&Board, plus various miscellaneous expenses, and of course your parents probably haven’t budgeted the extra cost, so they probably wouldn’t care less that in 2023 they’ll have to pay less :frowning: ) It’s really hard.

but yes, i’m sure even with the discount the tuition and all of the fees including summer start will still be very high

Then, based on everything we’ve seen so far (for the past 5?6 years at least) she stands a very good stand of admission.
For criminology, they’d look at Biology and chemistry grades also, preferably honors or AP.
Just one AP is low and a mix of honors/accelerated may reduce her odds, the 3.7 UW and 4+ units in History/Social Science, English, and FL will be in her favor.
So, don’t let stress eat away at you.
I hope your child is doing OK. 3 more days. :slight_smile:
(And if you think now feels long… imagine after your admissions have arrived… and you’re really tired of HS… and you really, really want college to start :smiley: … or you’re the parent whose child can’t stand being a HS student with you as a HS parent while you kinda wish they were still 15 or 16 and not ready to go, so you fight :stuck_out_tongue: etc :smiley: You’ll think: things were better and simpler back when we were just waiting and it hadn’t become real yet.)

Compared to the typical CLA major, psychology involves a bit more biology and math, so I think those subjects would matter more + your grades in social science. If you took AP Psych it may matter (not much, because a college intro class is going to be much more in-depth).

CLA students, another thing of interest:
you can join Schreyer Honors through CLA and graduate as a Schreyer Scholar. The best thing is that you declare your intention to become a Paterno Fellow. Congratulations, you’re now an Aspirant! You’re in. Now it’s up to you not to be kicked out. :slight_smile: - maintain a 3.5 GPA and for a few majors complete pre-reqs with A’s.
https://la.psu.edu/current-students/undergraduate-students/paterno-fellows-program
https://la.psu.edu/current-students/undergraduate-students/paterno-fellows-program/become-a-fellow

1 Like

thank you!!!

You’re a sweetheart, thank you :heavy_heart_exclamation:

1 Like